I’ve looked at all the issues and weighed the pros and cons. I’ve waded through the Presidential debate and conflicting views of candidates running for other offices. I’ve used my brain, my heart, my gut, and my common sense. Now I know how I’ll vote.
I’m going to vote to preserve America’s soul, conscience, and well-being.
At most meetings today, cell phones are in people’s hands or on the table in front of them. A few companies (and our last President) had a great idea. That is, a person must put his name on a sticky note and attach it to his phone—then leave it outside the room. Now there’s a small thing that can really count when it comes to meeting-efficiency by fostering clear, undivided attention and communication!
I admit, I wasn’t overjoyed with Ronald Reagan as the governor of my state, and I disagreed with some of his Presidential policies. Often, though, he made good sense, as in today’s Thursday Thought quote.
Here’s a bit of American trivia, this time about one of our Presidents.
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was a lover of everything French? Possibly. Did you know how laid-back he was? Probably not. For example, he preferred a leisurely life and engaged in it whenever possible. For example, when people visited the White House, he would greet them in his slippers and robe. And he further de-formalized meeting with visitors by shaking hands instead of bowing, which was the norm established by George Washington because G.W. didn’t like physical contact.
Not the image we have of this man who wrote the Declaration of Independence, established the U.S. Military Academy, abolished the slave trade, and accomplished many other important tasks for our country.
I’m sorry, but today I need to vent. I’m watching all those kids who are alone although warehoused with hundreds of other kids, scared, wanting their parents, not knowing what’s going on or what will happen to them five minutes from now, feeling that they must have done something really bad to be in the situation they’re in.
And what am I hearing from the adults who can do something about this? Depending on who’s speaking, it’s the fault of 1) the President, 2) Democrats, 3) Republicans, 4) government agencies, 5) the kids’ parents, 6) Obama, 7) Obama and Bush, 8) current law….
It really, REALLY bothers me that the only activity going on to alleviate these kids’ misery is a bunch of hot air–blame rather than action. Yet, if politicians set aside their political bias, narrow allegiance, and eye toward re-election, they CAN do something. The President can sign yet one more Executive Order in his long string of them. The Democrats and Republicans can stop bickering and pass legislation with enough of a majority to override a possible Presidential veto. Government agencies can do what they’ve done recently to create this problem in the first place, namely reinterpret the pretty broad law. It’s too late for the parents to help their kids, because they’re already here. But where are all the other adults?
Call me a bleeding heart liberal, but even my conservative friends are crying along with those children.
Today’s Thursday Thought quote reminds all of us–citizens, legislators, world leaders, family members–of what really matters.
U.S. Presidents or Congress have been doing it for years, and this year President Trump did it: declared March Irish-American History Month to honor the contributions to our country by Irish immigrants and their descendants who are living here. Today’s Thursday Thought, then is in honor of them.
“Well, it takes all kinds of men to build a railroad.”
“No sir, just us Irish.”
–Railroad barons in “Dodge City,” Warner Bros., 1939
Why is the news media (and late-night TV hosts) making so much of Kellyanne Conway’s term “alternative facts”? The poor lady just misspoke, didn’t she?
Doesn’t matter. She represents the President, as does the press secretary, who is official spokesperson for him. He doesn’t need people using terms that have this kind of connotation.
Which is, as many people are noting, awfully close to “newspeak,” seen in George Orwell’s book 1984. That term is defined in the Oxford Dictionaries as language that is “designed and controlled by the state in order to suppress free thought, individualism, and happiness.” It is language that totalitarian dictators use in the book to control the masses. Both that term and “alternative facts” twist the facts so that non-facts (we won’t call them “lies”) are touted as facts and then often blindly accepted.
President Trump has enough problems with unfortunate word-choice in his tweets. The people who most closely represent him (outside of his family) are adding to the problem. If he isn’t careful, people will start perceiving him as a self-centered, ego-maniacal, totalitarian dictator rather leader of a free, democratic nation.
Yes, words DO matter.
Meanwhile, copies of 1984 are flying off the shelves of bookstores.
I propose a new cabinet post: Secretary of Tweets.
I’m serious.
I thought that, once the election was over, Donald Trump wouldn’t find it necessary to tweet as much. It’s not the number of tweets, though, it’s the fact that Mr. Trump is, like many people, not careful with his word choice and tone.
With all due respect, I would suggest to him that he’s going to be very busy as President and, therefore, have even less time to choose the wording of his tweets. At the same time, what he says and how he says it is important to Americans as well as to foreigners, like heads of state and world-wide military leaders. So often he has to backtrack on what he tweets, because he meant it as a joke, for example, or came across in a troublesome way.
Mr. Trump will want to take advantage of every tool possible to accomplish the good he intends. But what if one of those tools insults an important world-stage player he’s trying to make a deal with or creates misunderstanding, animosity, or mistrust among people or countries he needs to work with? He minimizes his chance of success.
Think how much work this would save poor Kellyanne Conway, who is showing visible signs of exhaustion from trying to interpret Trump’s tweets for us and make the message more palatable on camera.
Here’s where the Secretary of Tweets comes in. Trump could tweet all he likes, but only to the Secretary, who might be his favorite retired English teacher or writer. The Secretary, a word-smith who knows the President well, can “translate” those tweets into ones that make the important point but do no harm, then send them out.
I think it’s a good idea. But, no, I WILL NOT apply for the position!
After living through this past week, I’ve decided how to vote. Maybe not the specific person yet. But I know for sure that the person I decide to vote for will NOT be one who is acting like a spoiled 6-year-old.
I fear a President who deals with foreign heads of state–especially, say, North Korea or Russia–or represents the U.S. in settling the Israeli/Palestinian conflict–or decides how to handle Isis and other terrorist groups. I fear a person who says to Congress-members, “It’s my way or the highway” rather than promoting thoughtful discussion of all sides of an issue and working toward a more unified, effective Congress. I fear a President who engages in personal attacks rather than meaningful dialog, thus treating us citizens as though we don’t have a brain or know what’s good for us. Yes, I fear a spoiled brat, egotistic, self-important 6-year-old President.
Now, although you don’t know who I’ll vote for in this coming Primary and General elections, I bet you can guess who WILL NOT get my vote. And I urge you to vote with me.